New York
July 8, 2020 Letter from the editor: As the old adage goes, life is either comedy or tragedy. While current events have veered more towards the latter, Governor Cuomo’s recent stunt involving a COVID-19 “mountain” sculpture offered some rare comedic relief by unleashing a “litany of parodies” online, as our staff writer Hakim Bishara reports. Hakim also shares news of the nonprofits La Jornada and Together We Can Community Resource Center Inc., which have teamed up with the Queens Museum to host a food pantry. Since mid-June, they have distributed a week’s worth of groceries to over a thousand families in the borough once described as the “epicenter of the epicenter” of the pandemic. Learn more about how to sign up or volunteer here. Hakim, who’s been on a roll lately, has also put together a report on New York City’s recent budget, which includes drastic reductions to the city’s art education programs. Elsewhere in New York, contributor Ilana Novick rounds up the vibrant street art that has bloomed amid the shutdown, noting “For the first time in decades, Soho is teeming with art.” Last but certainly not least, news editor Jasmine Weber penned a must-read report on the events that led to the cancellation of a solo exhibition by New York-based artist Shaun Leonardo at moCa Cleveland. Centering the voices of Black activists and art workers—including Samaria Rice, mother of the late Tamir Rice—Jasmine’s report provides a much-needed counterweight to institutional statements which “reduce[d] the voices of the Black women who said [the show wasn’t] a good idea,” as Rice’s former consultant Amanda King states. Stay safe. As stores begin to reopen, the future of these artworks remains in limbo but one thing is certain: for the first time in decades, the Manhattan neighborhood is teeming with art again. Ilana Novick Every Wednesday since June 17, the Queens Museum has hosted a food pantry designed to serve 1,000 families weekly, distributing a week’s worth of fresh and nonperishable food items. Hakim Bishara News After an exhibition at moCa Cleveland was canceled, the museum issued an apology to Leonardo for its decision-making process. Activists and art workers in the Cleveland community, including Rice, have come forward as critics. Approved on July 1, the city’s overall arts and culture will be reduced by 11% in fiscal year 2021. The city, where Douglass made his famous “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” speech in 1852, has 13 statues of the abolitionist. “This is the mountain that New Yorkers climbed,” Cuomo said of the styrofoam sculpture, which people have likened to Jabba the Hutt. David Zwirner, Pace, and Gagosian galleries each received over $2 million in PPP funding, and the Whitney and the Guggenheim Museum each received a loan between $5 and 10 million. Valentina Di Liscia, Hakim Bishara, Hrag Vartanian Even in this acute moment in our history, the artist is able to slow down his looking to find and celebrate the beauty of human determination. John Yau This week, artists reflect on quarantining from their studios in Los Angeles, New York City, Minneapolis–Saint Paul, and Long Island. Elisa Wouk Almino Your contribution helps keep our reporting free and accessible to all. Support Hyperallergic today. Become a Member Forward this newsletter to a friend! If this email was forwarded to you, click here to subscribe Hyperallergic, 181 N11th St, Ste 302, Brooklyn, NY 11211 This email was sent to [email protected]. Manage your preferences to subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletters. Forward Preferences | Unsubscribe |
